26 October 2008

I'm feeling cautiously optimistic about the election, edging towards the hope that Obama and Biden will win.

Last week's news that Colin Powell had endorsed Obama was good news indeed, and it produced the most sober op-ed piece from Maureen Dowd that I've seen in I can't remember how long. Usually Dowd is snarky to a fare-thee-well, but not this time. Her piece ends with a quote from Powell:

“Experience is helpful,” he says, “but it is judgment that matters.”

The other day, I had a conversation with my father about various things, including the Powell endorsement. My father has been on the Republican side of the fence for most of his life, save for most of the time that he was married to my mother (but not all, he voted for Nixon in 1960, because he was overseas and disconnected from the political scene.) We agree to disagree, and I avoid the TV room when the Sunday morning bloviators are on.

My father baffled me with a statement about turncoats - he seems to think that political loyalty trumps all, and that Powell's endorsement is suspect because he crossed the line. He wandered off onto a tangent about a Republican someone who endorsed JFK, and became persona non grata for having done so. "But," I said, "can't you change your mind?" I think he thinks that you're not allowed to change your political stripes.

So, though he told me he thought that Obama had the potential to be one of the best presidents we've ever had, and that he would help heal ingrained race-related wounds in the American soul, I actually don't know who he's voting for. Luckily it doesn't matter - the great state of New York will fall to Obama however my father votes.

Yeah, I get so confused when I see all the pundits talking. Obama is up. No he's down. No he has a huge lead. No McCain is a show in if he does this one thing. I almost feel like it doesn't mater what the candidates do because people are only listening to the comentators. How did they do in the debate? Don't decide for yourself! (please) Just ask us!I can't wait for this to be over. (And yes, I am pleased to be living in an Obama state myself).

This is so true for me too. My dad has said there's just no way he could vote for a Democrat. Yet when I saw him on Saturday, he seemed to be up in the air. I'm taking this as a positive sign, if even hardcore Republican voters can be on the fence.

Sadly, he didn't not get his absentee ballot, and since he's on the road all week, he won't vote. But our state *should* go to Obama anyway, fingers crossed.

Though I know I shouldn't, I always find it odd that so many people's parents shade toward the right politically. Because mine are McGovern-supporting, pot- legalization-advocating, card- carrying members of the ACLU who aren't exactly thrilled by my choice of career.

With all of the tense, terse, political blogging going on right now, I love that you brought a personal note to your side of the fence, and that you didn't include a single slur against the McCain/Palin ticket (it must've been tempting!) :) But I especially love the Powell quote you included. I knew that man was smart!

Why do you think NY will fall to Obama? My dad told me this summer that his family -- his 12 brothers and sisters and their spouses, most of whom live on Long Island -- said they'd never vote for a black man.

Personally I'm getting nervous about the number of McCain/Palin signs that have been popping up around my town. I saw a truck with this soaped onto the rear window: "THEY STOLE MY MCCAIN/PALIN BUMPER STICKER."

i loved powell's arguement. he calmly dismantled every arguement in very well thought out terms. it really was a thing of beauty. as for many republicans, i don't understand the fall in line mentality. patton said it best, "if everybody is thinking alike then someone isn't thinking." my husband works in a very consertive job where unfortunatly the election is all about race and guns, even in california. and he had the guts to speak out and say he was voting for obama, which shocked everyone to say the least. i was really proud of him and that he didn't fall into that line of thinking.

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